http://eyewiretoday.com/ Newest Articles en-us Mon, 6 Feb 2012 07:12:36 GMT Mon, 6 Feb 2012 07:12:36 GMT Eyetube.net http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120203-allergan_expands_dry_eye_portfolio_with_launch_of_refresh_optive_advanced_lubricant_eye_drops Allergan, Inc. announced the launch of Refresh Optive Advanced, a new over-the-counter artificial tear option for patients suffering from dry eye symptoms. As the latest innovation of Allergans extensive dry eye management portfolio, Refresh Optive Advanced is a lipid-enhanced tear with the low blur and comfort of an aqueous tear. It features a comprehensive, triple-action formulation that works on all three layers of the tear film to reduce tear evaporation, hydrate and lubricate for dry eye sy... Fri, 3 Feb 2012 20:03:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120203-majority_of_americans_think_ideology_will_affect_high_courts_ruling_on_health_law With the Supreme Court just two months away from hearing a historic legal challenge to the 2010 health law, nearly 60 percent of the public expects the justices to depend more on personal ideology than a legal analysis of the individual mandate, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation's January health tracking poll. Just 28 percent of those surveyed believe the justices will base their decision on the mandate without regard to politics and ideology, according to the survey. Fri, 3 Feb 2012 14:05:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120203-teledyne_awarded_laser_eye_protection_contract Teledyne Technologies Inc. announced that its subsidiary, Teledyne Scientific & Imaging, LLC (TS&I), was awarded a $7.7 million contract by the United States Air Force to fabricate, test, and deliver 3,137 Aircrew Laser Eye Protection Block 2 spectacles. The potential value of the contract including options is $20.4 million for a total of 8,500 spectacles over three years. Deliveries began in December 2011. TS&I was the prime contractor for the prior Aircrew Laser Eye Protection Bloc... Fri, 3 Feb 2012 14:04:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120203-woman_109_is_the_oldest_to_have_a_cataract_surgery A 109-year-old woman received a cataract surgery in a Shanghai hospital today, making her the oldest person in China to have such a surgery. Guo Liansheng, one of the city's ten longevity stars, says she is happy with the surgery and she can see her 8-month-old great great granddaughter clearly. Fri, 3 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120203-allergan_4th-quarter_profit_eye_drug_sales_rise Allergan Inc. said on Thursday its fourth-quarter earnings rose 6.4 percent, as higher sales of its eye drugs, Lumigan and Restasis, offset lower-than-expected sales of wrinkle treatment Botox. The company's forecast for 2012 was lower than anticipated, sending its shares down as much as 2.8 percent, although some analysts consider the outlook conservative. Fri, 3 Feb 2012 13:57:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120202-focalcenter_announces_development_of_eyecarescore FocalCenter, a solution provider in eyecare patient experience metrics, announced completion of its validated and standardized EyecareScore survey. This innovative measuring instrument enables eye doctors, clinics, optical retailers, or vision plans a standardized method for determining how their patients experiences compare to their peers and over time. EyecareScore is a visit specific patient experience measure developed with the latest survey science methodology. FocalCenter has identified t... Thu, 2 Feb 2012 15:10:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120202-vision_and_hearing_loss_in_older_adults_may_coexist Older adults who have trouble seeing low-contrast images may also be hampered by moderate bilateral hearing loss, contend vision researchers in the January issue of Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics. Among 446 older adults (mean age, 79.9 years) screened, 3 measures of low-contrast visual acuity were significantly associated with moderate bilateral hearing loss in analyses controlling for age and comorbid conditions, report Marilyn E. Schneck, PhD, and colleagues at the Smith-Kettlewell Eye ... Thu, 2 Feb 2012 13:32:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120202-stemcells_inc_receives_fda_authorization_for_age-related_macular_degeneration_clinical_trial StemCells, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized the initiation of a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of the company's proprietary HuCNS-SC product candidate (purified human neural stem cells) in dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in people over 55 years of age, and approximately 30 million people worldwide are afflicted with the disease. There are no approved treatments for dry AMD."With the approval of th... Thu, 2 Feb 2012 13:28:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120202-enrollment_up_premiums_down_in_medicare_advantage_plans Enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans has risen by 10% in the past year and premiums have dropped by 7%, despite billions of dollars in reimbursement cuts to the program, HHS officials announced Wednesday. Enrollment in the plans -- which are run by private insurers -- has grown from 11.7 million Medicare beneficiaries in 2011 to 12.8 million in 2012, a 17% increase. The average premium has dropped by more than $2 per month since last year and now averages $31.54 per month, according to the Dep... Thu, 2 Feb 2012 13:23:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120202-first_vitus_femtosecod_laser_cataract_surgery_machine_launched_in_hyderabad The worlds first Victus femtosecond laser cataract surgery machine was inaugurated by Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, former President of India, at Maxivision Eye Care Hospital in Hyderabad. Victus is the most advanced innovative technology breakthrough in the field of eye surgery. It uses very short pulses of laser which are of the duration 10-15th part of a second. This technology essentially helps doctors to conduct cataract, refractive and therapeutic procedures of the eye on a single platform. Th... Thu, 2 Feb 2012 13:22:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120201-celebrating_50_years_of_breakthroughs_bascom_palmer_eye_institute_hosts_global_scientific_meeting Celebrating a half century of ophthalmic breakthroughs, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine is building on research advances its founders could not have imagined. Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, the nations #1 ranked eye hospital and part of UHealth the University of Miami Health System, begins its golden anniversary year by hosting a global scientific meeting in Miami that begins tomorrow. With more than 600 prominent ophthalmologists attending, the Fe... Wed, 1 Feb 2012 21:03:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120201-nextech_donates_emr_to_tilganga_institute_of_ophthalmology_on_medical_mission_to_nepal NexTech was honored to partake in a recent medical mission trip to Nepal alongside a team from The London Vision Clinic. The London Vision Clinic introduced the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology to NexTech in late 2011. Intrigued by the work that LVC did in conjunction with the Himalayan Cataract Project and the cureblindness.org team, NexTech donated an Ophthalmology specific NexTech EMR system to the clinic.In January 2012, Christina Majeed, VP of Business Development, New Products & Tec... Wed, 1 Feb 2012 13:20:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120201-smartphone_making_your_eyes_tired? Several reports indicate that prolonged viewing of mobile devices and other stereo 3D devices leads to visual discomfort, fatigue and even headaches. As per a new Journal of Vision study, the root cause appears to be the demand on our eyes to focus on the screen and simultaneously adjust to the distance of the content. Wed, 1 Feb 2012 13:14:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120201-regenerx_engages_investment_bankers_to_assist_in_evaluating_and_exploring_strategic_opportunities RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. has hired investment bankers, Ameritech Advisors, LLC and Aurora Capital, LLC, to help the company evaluate and explore potential strategic opportunities. Additionally, the Company is continuing to move forward in early-stage discussions with potential strategic partners related to its ophthalmic drug candidate, RGN-259 for the treatment of dry eye, which it had previously announced. During the past few weeks, a number of additional companies have expressed inte... Wed, 1 Feb 2012 13:12:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120201-tearscience_achieves_fda_clearance_for_second_generation_lipiflow_thermal_pulsation_system TearScience, Inc. announced that it has received FDA clearance for its next generation product of its LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation System, a medical device that treats evaporative dry eye by liquefying and evacuating obstructions in meibomian glands located in the eyelids. The second generation product includes a more robust graphical user interface and provides the ability for physicians to treat both of a patients eyes simultaneously.The new LipiFlow console incorporates an enhanced graphical us... Wed, 1 Feb 2012 13:10:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120131-ruth_d_williams_md_begins_term_as_president_of_the_american_academy_of_ophthalmology Ruth D. Williams, MD, a nationally-recognized medical leader, began her term as the 115th president of the American Academy of Ophthalmology earlier this month. Dr. Williams also serves as president of the Wheaton Eye Clinic, located in Chicagos western suburbs. With more than 130,000 patient visits each year, Wheaton is one of the largest ophthalmology clinics in the Midwest. Dr. Williams specializes in glaucoma care.As president of the Academy, Dr. Williams will build upon extensive leadership... Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:35:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120131-ophthalmic_laser_market_set_for_continued_growth An aging world population ensures that the number of patients needing vision correction procedures of all kinds will grow exponentially over the coming years, with laser-based procedures becoming further established as the best tools for the job. According to Ophthalmic Lasers: A Global Industry Outlook available from Global Industry Analysts, the global market for ophthalmic lasers will rise from $591.5 million in 2011 to $804 million by 2015, a compound annual growth rate of 7.65 percent. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:52:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120131-avedro_announces_canadian_approval_for_lasik_xtra Avedro, Inc. announced that the companys proprietary Lasik Xtra procedure has received Canadian approval. Lasik Xtra is a 2-minute procedure used in conjunction with standard LASIK to restore biomechanical integrity and strength to the cornea after a standard LASIK procedure. The procedure combines riboflavin ophthalmic solution with Avedros KXL System (UVA irradiation) to achieve accelerated corneal cross-linking during a LASIK procedure.Having been the first corneal surgeon to perform laser re... Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:48:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120131-vgx-100_identified_as_potential_new_therapy_for_improving_corneal_graft_survival Circadian Technologies Limited announced the publication of data in the scientific journal, Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, showing that VEGF-C expression is markedly up-regulated in corneal graft rejection. Importantly, the data also showed that VEGF-C blockade, through administration of Circadian's lead development candidate VGX-100, a human antibody against VEGF-C, significantly improved corneal graft survival in an animal model. The data indicates a major new therapeutic op... Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:41:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120130-study_eyes_windows_to_the_mind The eyes are the window into the soul - or at least the mind, according to a new paper published in Perspectives on Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. Measuring the diameter of the pupil, the part of the eye that changes size to let in more light, can show what a person is paying attention to. Pupillometry, as it's called, has been used in social psychology, clinical psychology, humans, animals, children, infants - and it should be used even more, the ... Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:14:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120130-eye-surgery_organizations_provide_medicare-billing_guidance_to_physicians_for_laser_technology_used_in_cataract_procedures The two largest ophthalmic medical associations have partnered to release guidelines they say will assist ophthalmologists in determining their ability to charge Medicare and/or its beneficiaries for use of a femtosecond laser during cataract surgery. The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) jointly issued the guidelines, which they claimed were developed with input from ophthalmologists, legal counsel and manufacturers.The m... Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:08:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120130-valeant_withdraws_offer_to_buy_ista_pharmaceuticals Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc., Canadas biggest drugmaker, said it withdrew its $7.50 per share offer to buy Ista Pharmaceuticals Inc., citing a lack of progress in making a deal. Ista said this month that it is in talks with several companies about being acquired. The company makes therapies to treat glaucoma, ocular pain and other eyesight-related conditions.Valeant, based in Mississauga, Canada, made the initial $327 million bid public on Dec. 16, saying Irvine, California-based I... Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:05:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120130-stemcells_inc_announces_publication_of_preclinical_data_demonstrating_its_human_neural_stem_cells_preserve_vision StemCells, Inc. announced the publication of preclinical data demonstrating that its proprietary HuCNS-SC(R) cells (purified human neural stem cells) protect host photoreceptors and preserve vision in an animal model of retinal disease. The preclinical results are highly relevant to human disorders of vision loss, the most notable of which is dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The study is available online at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1460-9568.2011.07970.x/abs tract ... Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:01:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120130-rp-us_military_launches_operation_cataract_in_zambo The Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) and Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P) in coordination with Tzu Chi Foundation have launched a four-day medical mission in this city. Wesmincom spokesman Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang said the medical mission dubbed as Operation Cataract started Wednesday and is set to end today, Saturday. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:58:00 GMT http://eyewiretoday.com/view.asp?url=20120127-the_john_a_moran_eye_center_receives_two_major_grants_from_research_to_prevent_blindness Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) has awarded two grants to the John A. Moran Eye Center (JMEC) at the University of Utah to support research into the causes, treatment and prevention of blinding diseases. Gregory Hageman, Ph.D. has been granted a $150,000 Senior Scientific Investigator Award, and the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences has been granted $100,000, to be directed by department Chairman Randall J Olson, MD, CEO of the JMEC. To date, RPB has awarded grants totaling $4,... Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:25:00 GMT